John Kuzenski is a Hungarian-American college professor and musician who has just released his third instrumental album. The first two also contain Central and Eastern European titles and themes, and yet it is the third album which must be special for admirers of Hungarian culture.
Although Mr Kuzenski usually performs his own compositions, on the third album he recorded a cello solo version of the National Anthem of Hungary. Mr Kuzenski is very taken with Ferenc Erkel’s compositions of late, particularly the beautiful anthem, and this was his way of paying tribute to Erkel’s work. The album is entitled “The Madcap Retrograde” and under John Kuzenski’s name it is available through most major online music retailers.
*Ferenc Erkel (1810–1893) was a Hungarian composer, conductor and pianist. He was the father of Hungarian grand opera, written mainly on historical themes, which are still often performed in Hungary. He also composed the music of “Himnusz”, the national anthem of Hungary, which was adopted in 1844. The text of the anthem was written by poet Ferenc Kölcsey in 1823.
photo: John Kuzenski